As The Fire Dies Down
by Quiet Butterfly
Summary: For a while, they just stay like that- quiet, tranquil, any other synonym of calm that you could think of. Dj wasn't complaining, it was nice like that, the silence wasn't awkward, nor did it imply anything more; it didn't need to be more. (Dawn, Dj)


Somewhere in the woods, a fire burnt brighter than the stars, crackles of the flame echoing throughout the woods. Our brave protagonist sat on a log, basking in the warmth of the fire, watching it with no particular emotion. Ironically, our so called 'brave protagonist' is Dj. Originally, his friends were with him, but they all returned in the stone cabin that they decided to stay in for the weekend as some kind of trip, leaving Dj by himself to watch the fire die down, just because he was too afraid to set it out himself.

It was still nice to watch the fire, though. Even if it was scary for Dj to even be 5 feet next to it. And it kinda spooked him to be alone...in the woods. Alone.

Ok, he just wanted to go back to the cabin now. They're probably still waiting for him to come back, right?

Geoff sat on an old looking armchair, his arm on one of it's scroll arms and the other around his girlfriend, Bridgette, who was sitting on his lap. Both of them were asleep. Courtney meanwhile laid down on a dark green couch that was too small for her body, her eyes fixated on the ceiling as she tried to sleep while Dawn-

Dawn. Stop ruining the narrative.

Dawn popped out of nowhere, behind Dj, who screamed, shocked by petite girl's presence.

The aura reader, owner of the stone cabin, had always been a wild card to Dj, but he couldn't really but his finger on why he thought that. Not because of the age difference, not because he didn't like her, quite opposite of the latter, actually. She likes animals and strives for justice, and even if she does things with the outcome not being desirable, she still had her heart in the right place. It was admirable, Dj thought it was. They were similar in a lot of ways, yet they weren't good friends- maybe their personalities clashed, and they probably did.

Interrupting his thoughts, the animal whisperer sat next to the brick house on his log, smiling calmly without saying word, making his gaze soften. Though her presence was enough to freak anyone out, her soothing grin could put anyone at ease.

For a while, they just stay like that-- quiet, tranquil, any other synonym of calm that you could think of. Dj wasn't complaining, it was nice like that, the silence wasn't awkward, nor did it imply anything more; it didn't need to be more.

Dawn places her small hand on Dj's shoulder, continuing to watch the fire with him. Her touch was enough to make it even more easier for him to relax, it was like she was reading his mind.

And let's be honest, she probably is.

Dj hesitantly breaks the silence, asking why Dawn decided to come back to the campfire, receiving the same carefree smile she has each time she sees her.

She explains that she was slightly worried, sensing the Jamaican boy's discomfort. That phrase alone made it hard for him to stifle a laugh, it sounded so...unbelievable. So weird-

So Dawn.

Nice Dj, with your logic, we could say that you did a McLean.

They stay there in silence again, which felt better. That shouldn't be so shocking, both of them communicating was probably the most awkward thing I've written.

This silence wasn't like earlier-- it was like Dawn giving Dj time to understand what she just said, then it hit Dj like a kick to the nuts.

"You cared?"

Dawn giggled at this and said nothing afterward, receiving a confused frown from Dj. He never got why she'd respond so weirdly, why she was herself, or weird things in general. Dawn never got to be a close friend of his because she was Dawn, and it might as well seem unfair to judge her by this supernatural thing that she had, but that's how society worked. That's how Dj worked.

"Dj." Dawn said with an emotion Dj couldn't describe.

"Yeah?"

"Can we just watch the fire?"

Dj said nothing, Dawn said nothing, they were back to square one. It was nicer at square one. It was nicer not to talk, it made him appreciate her presence, not because it terrified him, but because it was different, because she was different. It was then he wanted to believe that he got her, but he actually already knew this, he just couldn't accept it. Dawn wasn't like Courtney, or Bridgette and no where near Geoff- she wasn't supposed to fit in. And she didn't try to, she didn't want to. She didn't need to. Dj needed to learn to accept this different.

They continued to watch the fire, Dawn laying her head on Dj's shoulder. It would've made him uncomfortable, but it didn't. He didn't know why it didn't, both the shoulder touching from earlier and the head laying currently- this girl was the girl she screamed at for even be behind him. But he didn't question it any longer and just accepted it as it was.

The wind suddenly picked up it's pace, interrupting the quiet, the crackling, the crickets, it interrupted whatever was happening between both Dj and Dawn. Dawn's hair was all over her face while the fire died, leaving with a tiny puff.

Both relax, watching the smoke float away while the charcoal and ashes form. They look at each other and both smile, Dawn smiling like she already was, her hair still messy and all over her face, while Dj's wasn't care free, it seemed content.

They go back to the stone cabin together. Both content of the weird mess of a night they had just experienced.

**This is pretty shorter than usual. **

I made it so you can interpret this to whatever you want it to be. It could be friendship because Asexual Dj is actually a really good idea, or it could be romance (though that wasn't the intention). Thanks for reading this, goodnight.


End file.
